On The Edge
by evgrrl09
Summary: The Hunger Games roll around again, leaving two tributes who are close as family enemies in a fight to the death. Criminal Minds pairings (Morgan/Garcia, Rossi/JJ) in the world of Panem. Hunger Games characters featured: Haymitch, Pres. Snow, Cinna, Effie. PLEASE TRY IT OUT!
1. Reaping Day

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

**Oh my god it's struck me again. The bug of a new story. And this one just so happens to be... **_**dun, dun, dun**_**...Hunger Games/Criminal Minds. I have problems with writing too many things at once. Somehow though I can't figure out how to stop it. The Hunger Games is one of my favorite series of all time and I couldn't get this out of my head. Hope you like it okay!**

**Quick note on the text: Katniss and Peeta and Gale are not featured in this story, but many of the significant characters play large roles, such as Haymitch, Cinna, President Snow, etc. Derek and his daughter Seraphina will bear some traits similar to Katniss and her father.**

David woke up at the crack of dawn to see a thin light of dawn flickering through his curtains. Sighing, he rose from his bed, careful not to wake up his wife who was laying beside him. He strode to the window and poked his head between the curtains. Outside the house there was a layer of fog that was rising as the sun started to come through the mountains. The weather was a normal for District Twelve.

But the weather was the only thing normal for that day. Today was Reaping Day. And his two children, thirteen year old Christopher and sixteen year old Xavier, were in the drawing bowl for the male tribute. There was a chance they might be drawn for the Hunger Games. The fight to the death they all dreaded.

"Dave?"

Turning around, Dave saw his wife, Jennifer sitting up in their bed, rubbing her eyes and looking drowsy from sleep still. He went to sit on the edge of the bed and placed a kiss on her forehead. "Morning," he murmured, moving a lock of hair out of her face.

"Nothing good about it," she grumbled, leaning her head against his shoulder. They were both silent for a long time. "I'm scared, Dave," she whispered. "I'm so scared one of them will be called out and we'll lose them. Xavier and Christopher aren't warriors. They're both not capable of killing someone in cold blood."

He sighed. "I know." Resting his forehead against hers, he added, "But there's a chance they won't be called. Their names are in there much less because we've never had to make an exchange for tesserae." Seeing as they were both from the better part of town and they were both merchants, they didn't have to put their children's names in for extra food and oil.

Jennifer rubbed her forehead. "I can't even imagine how Penelope and Derek must feel," she said. Their close friends Derek and Penelope weren't as fortunate as they were. They lived in the Seam where Derek was a miner while Penelope treated the sick. Both of them were much worse off along with their three children to raise. Money was tight for them. Derek had even taken to illegally going into the woods with his children, Seraphina and Thaddeus to help pay for more of the necessities they needed to survive.

"They'll get through it," he said. "And if Seraphina does get called, she'll hold her own. She's one of the strongest girls I know." Touching Dave's face, Jennifer looked him in his eyes and he added, "Chris and Xavier will be okay."

"I sure hope you're right," she said, looking out the window. "We'd better start getting the boys up and ready. We've got a lot of prep to do."

Dave knew this day would be one of his hardest to endure, and possibly even more difficult for his wife.

XXXXX

Penelope hadn't slept a wink all night. Reaping Day, since her daughter Seraphina had turned twelve and was required to put her name in for the Hunger Games, was her least favorite day of all time. Her son, Thaddeus and her youngest daughter, Ziva were nine and six and were out of danger for a few more years, but she would never stop worrying for them. A few tears rolled down her cheeks and she hurriedly wiped them away.

"Penelope?"

Looking to her side, she saw her husband, Derek on his side and looking at her. He started to trace small patterns on her arm. "Yeah?" she said softly.

"You look pale," he said.

She scoffed and kissed his knuckles. "I'm always pale. Just like I'm always thin and hungry."

"You're beautiful," he whispered. "You're so, so beautiful."

She sighed. "I wish I could bring in more money," she said, ignoring his comment about her appearance. "Phi has had to put her name in for tesserae each and every year. I hate it. I hate it, I _hate _it! Just like I hate the Capitol. They threaten to take our daughter from us, all because of a war that took place before she was ever even born."

"Penelope..." When she didn't respond, he said, "Phi is -"

Penelope cut him off. "Please don't tell me she'll be fine," she whispered. "We don't know that. What if her name is called? What if she's forced to fight? I can't lose her."

Derek cupped her cheek. "We raised her well," he said. "If she's called, she'll fight. I believe in her. She's got your spirit and I trained her to use weapons." He rolled her under him and kissed her. "Now we should get up and start getting the kids ready." He smiled and rubbed his thumb over her cheekbone. "You ready?"

"Hardly," she said.

"I know," he said. Sitting up, he took her hands and pulled her out of bed with him. "Me neither."

XXXXX

"Wake up, Xavier," Christopher said loudly, shaking his older brother awake.

Xavier turned over on his side to find his younger brother trying to wake him up. He groaned and sat up. "Ugh," he said, rubbing his eyes. "Chris, a little less on the wake up call okay?"

"I'm really nervous about today," Xavier said, wringing his hands together. He lowered his voice to a whisper. "Sorry. Didn't mean to be so loud."

Xavier ruffled his younger brother's hairs. "It's alright," he said, rising from his bed and treading across the cold floorboards to his chest of drawers. "Don't worry so much about today. Your name is only in there twice." He pulled his shirt over his head and turned to face his younger brother who was looking rather ashen. "You'll be fine," he assured him.

"But what about Seraphina?" he asked quietly. "Her name is in there a lot."

"I don't know about Phi," he said. "But we both know she could handle herself. She'd be fine if she got picked. I swear, the one time I went with her into the woods she scared the hell out of me."

The truth was he was scared to death that his best friend would be called. Her name was in the Reaping Bowl more times than the average Seam child. Seraphina was so full of life, a bright spot in the usually depressing strip of land. And what he had never told anyone in the world was he was madly in love with her. But despite the fact the'd never told anyone, everyone seemed to know. His mother and father, _Seraphina's_ mother and father, everyone in District Twelve. Christopher in particular liked to taunt him regarding his feelings.

"I bet if she got called," Chris started, "she could win. She's so smart and strong and _pretty_..." He grinned cheekily, taunting Xavier.

Xavier rolled his eyes. "Chris. Not now."

"What?" he teased innocently. "You don't want me talking about your mad love for Phi?"

"No. I don't."

Xavier made his way out of the room, ignoring his little brother's incessant taunts. He entered the kitchen of his family's small house and found his father and mother, both of them already grim faced and sitting at the rickety table. Waving awkwardly, he said, "Mom? Dad?"

Both his parents looked up and Jennifer jumped to her feet, rushing to her son's side and hugging him tightly. Xavier could feel the love and terror radiating off of her. His mother was thin and lithe, but her hug was bone-crushing. Reaping Day was difficult on all parents and right now it was clear how hard it was. Jennifer pulled away and cupped her son's face in both her hands. She kissed his forehead. "It's going to be okay today," she said firmly. "You're going to be okay, alright?"

Xavier nodded. The desperate, terrified look in her eyes made him feel uneasy and he rubbed both her arms. "You're right, Mom," he said. "It'll be okay." He looked around his mother's shoulder and nodded to his still grim faced father. "Dad? Are you gonna be okay?"

Dave nodded slowly. "When this day is over, I will be," he said. As he finished speaking, Christopher came bounding into the room and into Jennifer's arms.

"Hi Mom!" he chirped.

JJ planted a kiss on her youngest son's head and held him close, savoring having him in her arms. On Reaping Day, every mother had the right to hold her children in her arms and pray that they wouldn't be taken away from her. JJ was one of those many mothers in District Twelve that morning.

XXXXX

Seraphina made her way through the strip of the Seam towards her family's small home where her parents were getting her other two siblings dressed in their best clothing. She was returning home from the woods where she had just finished gathering meat for her family for a week. Hopefully it would last. Her father would be able to go into the woods after his work in the mines was finished if she was called as a tribute.

Her name was in the bowl enough times. Getting called was certainly a possibility.

As she made her way up to her house, she waved at a few of her fellow Seam residents and gave them a smile. She knew she shouldn't be smiling about anything on a day like Reaping Day, but she couldn't help it. She needed to keep herself positive. Maybe if she did then she could make herself feel better.

But if she was truly honest with herself, she knew she would never make herself feel better.

She reached her house and trotted up the small stairs and porch and went into her house. In the small kitchen she found her mother brushing her younger sister Ziva's hair. Her face was blank and her eyes that were normally bright despite the grim circumstances of their lives were dead.

"Hey Mom," Seraphina said, going towards her and kissing her mother's cheek. She leaned down and kissed the top of Ziva's head. "Your hair looks pretty, Ziv," she added. She gave her mother and sister a soft smile.

Ziva looked up at her older sister with sad eyes. Even she seemed to be feeling the usual symptoms that came from Reaping Days.

Penelope looked at her daughter's smiling face and tears welled up in her eyes. Looking down at the top of Ziva's head, she planted a kiss on her curly haired head and murmured, "Ziv, I need you to go find your brother, okay? Make sure he's getting dressed."

Ziva nodded and rose from her chair, disappearing into another room. Penelope turned to her eldest daughter and murmured, "Phi, why are you acting so...carefree? It's Reaping Day." Her tears were now streaming down her cheek and she put her hands on her daughter's arms, rubbing them gently. "Aren't you the least bit worried?"

Seraphina nodded. "Yeah," she said. "I'm worried. But I feel like if I stay positive, it won't scare Thaddeus and Ziva as much."

Sighing, Penelope pulled her daughter into a fierce hug and held her tightly. "I wouldn't survive if anything happened to you, Phi," she whispered. "Your father and brother and sister and you are the only ones who matter to me. Promise me you'll stay cautious...no matter what happens."

Seraphina paused, but then hugged her mother tightly back, wanting nothing more than to quell her fears. "I promise, Mom," she murmured. "I promise."

Tears from Penelope's eyes wet Seraphina's neck and she knew this may be the worst Reaping Day her mother had ever experienced.

**I hope you enjoyed! I'm curious as to what you guys think of it :) Please read and review!**


	2. The Tributes Are Called

**Disclaimer: I own neither of these brilliant universes :(**

**Alright, chapter 2 of this! I'm glad you guys gave me positive reviews on this :) Please enjoy this sad chapter :( **

Penelope was washing up her hands at the sink after helping her nine year old son, Thaddeus get clean and into his best clothes to attend the Reaping. She had never felt more tired. Her conversation with her Seraphina at the beginning of the morning had been disconcerting. She couldn't handle the thought of anything happening to her. It was too painful to even think about her name being called.

A pair of strong arms wrapped around her and she jumped slightly. "Someone's jumpy," Derek said, kissing her neck. "Phi will be okay, sweetheart. Don't worry."

She turned around in his arms and rested her head against his chest. "I'm so scared," she whispered. "I don't think I've ever been more scared in my life than I have been on a Reaping Day. It's awful."

He moved some hair from her face and kissed her. "Come on," he said, taking her hand. "Let's go. We need to get to the Square. It's time."

Fear filled Penelope's eyes. Pure, unadulterated fear. But she had to attend. Unless you were dying, being at the Reaping was required. So she squeezed her husband's hand and said, "Okay."

XXXXX

"Christopher, Xavier," Dave called. "It's time to get going. We need to start for the Square. We have to go."

JJ finished straightening her braid and looked at herself in her house's one mirror. She was wearing a light green dress and her best pair of shoes. It was her best clothing. Taking a deep breath, she headed for the door and met up with her sons and husband. All three of their faces were grim. Dave had his hand on Chris' shoulder and Xavier had his hands resting in his pockets, his face trained down on the ground.

"Is everyone ready?" she asked.

Xavier just grunted, Christopher nodded, and Dave blinked several time. She nodded. "Let's go then." She started ushering them out the door. They exited the house and started off into the sunny day, walking down the dusty road along with the rest of their fellow merchants. Dave and Xavier started going ahead, while JJ and Christopher meandered along behind.

"You know, even if Seraphina is called out, she'll be okay," JJ said softly, putting her arm around her son. "I know her name is in there a lot, but she's a fighter. I think if she were to be called, she could win."

He was silent for a moment. "Mom, I'm still worried. I just - I just don't know what I would do if she were called. She doesn't even know how I feel. I've never had the courage to tell her."

"Well, maybe you should change that," JJ suggested. "It's never too late to tell someone you love them.

He frowned. "I appreciate the thought, Mom," he said. "But I don't think I'm going to say anything. Not unless the circumstances are dire."

"You never know," she said. "What if the circumstances -"

Before she could finish, a voice broke out and interrupted her. "JJ! Xavier!" JJ looked away from her son and saw their friend Emily hurrying towards them. Emily ran a laundry business in the Seam and her son, Caesar was friends with Christopher. She also did the Rossi family's laundry. "Hey," she said as she came up to them. Her face was grim. "How are you two feeling right now? I saw Dave and Chris up farther ahead."

Xavier just grunted and shoved his hands into his pockets, leaving to walk further ahead.

"Hi Emily," JJ said, watching after her son forlornly.

"He's taking the day really hard, isn't he?" Emily asked sympathetically. "Has anyone told him Seraphina -"

"Will be fine...yes, everyone has told him," she said, rubbing her face. "I just don't know if he'll really understand that."

Emily sighed. "Well, I guess today of all days would be the one for him to be concerned."

XXXXX

"Alright, I'm going to go sign in," Seraphina said, the solemn feeling of the day finally starting to set in. She had seen the looks of many of her neighbors and it had made her feel the weight of everything start to bear down on her. But what really made her feel the day, was her mother. The glint of her fear and her terror was in her eyes and it was impossible not to feel anything. She looked to both her parents. Derek's jaw was set in a hard line and he had a dark look in his eyes. She hugged him. "I'll see you soon, Dad," she said softly. She lowered her voice. "We can go hunt later tonight."

Kissing the top of her head, he nodded. "I know," he said. "I love you, Phi."

She backed up. She knelt down to her younger siblings level and said, "You two behave, okay?"

Ziva nodded and Thaddeus gave her a thumbs up. "We'll do everything you tell us, Phi," he said. "I'll learn to hunt! And I'll help Dad and -"

She put a finger to his lips. "Shh," she said. "We don't want any Peacekeepers hearing you." She kissed the tops of her siblings' heads and then looked at Penelope sadly. Her mother looked more worried than she did, and she wasn't the one whose name was in a bowl to have her possibly fight to the death. "Oh, Mom," she murmured, pulling her in for a tight hug.

"I love you," she said fiercely against her hair.

Seraphina sighed and let her mother hold her, knowing that it would at least help her mother feel better. "I love you too. But now I have to go," she said. "I'll be back soon."

Penelope wiped her tears and moved a tendril of hair from her face. "Okay," she said hoarsely. Her voice had been reduced to sounding like scratchy rice paper. Then she took off in the direction of the lines to get her blood drawn.

"Phi!"

She turned in the direction of the person who had called her name. It was Xavier. She went towards him and let him hug her. "Hi Xavier," she said against his shirt. "God, I can't wait for this day to be over." She gave him a nervous smile and giggled. "Oh, look over there! It's Effie!"

Xavier turned around and saw the obscenely dressed Effie Trinket. Her outfit was a bright sea foam green, her hair was piled on top of her head and was dyed sky blue, and her face had new gold tattoos at the corners of her eyes. He stifled a laugh. "What the hell has she done to herself now?"

They started for the line and stepped into it, along behind their fellow District Twelve children. "Are you doing okay today?" she asked, putting a hand on his arm. "You seem a little...off?" She hadn't seen her best friend like this in a while. She was extremely worried about him. "Is everything okay with Christopher? I know he's only thirteen. Are your parents worried about him?"

He looked grim. "No, it's not him I'm worried about," he said quietly.

"Oh," she said in confusion. "What's wrong then? Are your parents worried about _you_?"

"Not exactly..."

"Finger please."

The person checking them held out their hand to take their fingers. Seraphina held out her hand and her finger was pricked for blood to check her in. Behind her, Xavier went through the same motions and followed behind her. He followed behind her and hugged her. "We're all going to get through this day," he said. "Phi, I -"

Mayor Hotchner was heading towards the podium and everyone was getting into their proper spot for the reaping. She pointed towards the spot where the girls in her age group were lining up. She gave him an apologetic look. "I'll see you afterwards," she said softly, starting off in the direction she had to go.

She didn't see the forlorn, desperate look on his face.

Seraphina lined up next to Penelope and Derek's friend Elle Greenaway's daughter, Holly and said, "Hey Holly."

Holly's amber eyes met Seraphina's dark ones and she nodded. "Hi, Seraphina," she said. Her eyes went wide all of the sudden and she tilted her head in the direction of the stage where Mayor Hotchner had yet to begin his speech and the annual video. "Look! It's Haymitch!"

Both young women looked in the direction of the stage where Haymitch Abernathy, the lone living victor from District Twelve had just stumbled to his seat. He was drunk, like he usually was. The man rarely left his house due to his intoxication.

"Wow," she said. "He's really got some issues."

Holly snorted. She was about to respond when Mayor Hotchner started to speak. "Welcome to the Reaping Day," he said grimly. It was well known that the mayor was sympathetic to the people's cause in his district. "I'd like to begin by giving a history of the nation of Panem." He went on explaining who the country came to be and the rules of the Hunger Games. During his speech, Seraphina's eyes drifted through the crowd of her peers until she found Xavier's again. She gave him a small smile in an attempt to comfort him. It was obvious her best friend was having a hard day. After all, his younger brother was in the reaping along with him.

"And so now I'd like to invite Effie Trinket, District Twelve's escort to come and read the names from the bowl." Mayor Hotchner gestured for Effie, in her atrocious outfit, to come to the podium.

Effie toddled on up and grinned brightly. "Happy Hunger Games everyone!" she cooed into the microphone. "May the odds be ever in your favor! It's such an honor to be here with you all. It's time now, to pick one young man and one young woman to represent District Twelve in the Games." She headed to the bowl of female names and added, "Ladies first!"

Seraphina's breath caught in her chest as Effie's tiny, slim hand dipped into the bowl. The moment had become so real that she could hardly handle the suspense. Effie pulled a name from the jar and smiled, clicking back over to the microphone. She cleared her throat and opened the piece of paper.

"Seraphina Morgan," she read out.

XXXXX

The whole of the train yard was silent at the sound of Seraphina's name being called out. Xavier's face whirled to see his best friend's pale form making her way through the parted crowd. Her face was grave and she was deadly serious.

"Don't be shy, sweet," Effie called out as Seraphina made her way up to the front.

Xavier's world stopped. All at once his supply of oxygen disappeared. This couldn't be happening. Not Seraphina. Not the girl he loved. She was the light of the Seam. She couldn't be lost to them. Though he was raging on the inside, he was completely still on the outside. He couldn't say anything. He was paralyzed.

"Well, here's your female tribute, District Twelve," Effie said as Seraphina climbed the stairs to stand beside her. "Seraphina Morgan!"

Seraphina looked deathly pale. She stood staring out into the crowd and Xavier looked to the point where she was staring. She was looking at her parents and brother and sister. Xavier saw Penelope and the death grip she was keeping on Derek's hand. And the uncontrollable tears falling from her eyes that she silenced by biting her lip. Thaddeus and Ziva were both terror stricken.

Xavier felt as bad as they looked.

"Now for the young men!" Effie said, going to the boys' reaping bowl. She pulled out another slip of paper. "Our male tribute for this year's Hunger Games is Christopher Rossi!"

**I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! Sorry the crossovers come out so infrequently. We have more Effie and Haymitch coming in the next chapter, so if you know anything about HG you'll like it. Please READ AND REVIEW!**

**A quick offer...If you have not read the Hunger Games and are mainly a Criminal Minds fan and would like a crash course, I would be happy to give you one!**


	3. Goodbyes

**Disclaimer: I own neither universe.**

**Here's update three! Hope you like...PLEASE REVIEW!**

JJ froze at the sound of her son's name being called. Her gut dropped and she felt tears spring to the back of her eyes. A petrified Christopher made his way to the front of the train yard. She looked up to see Seraphina, gaping into the crowd at the young boy walking towards her. The two of them were friends, Phi was the girl Xavier loved. But now they were bitter enemies. They were going to be opponents, needing to kill the other if they wanted to stay alive.

Effie's voice broke through JJ's brokenhearted haze. "Well, here are your tributes, District Twelve," she said. "Christopher Rossi and Seraphina Morgan." She clapped, expecting the others to follow suit. The whole yard was silent though. The people of District Twelve were likely devastated that the girl who made everyone's day a little brighter was going to fight to her death and was going to be against a young boy who was her friend.

"Let's get you two ready to say goodbye to your families," Effie chirped. She put her hands on their backs and started leading them inside.

JJ felt Dave take her hand and she looked at him, tears running down her face. He gave her a soft look and squeezed her hand. The fear in his eyes was shining so bright, she would have been able to see it a mile away. "Let's go see our son," he whispered.

It was then she burst into tears and let him pull her into an embrace.

XXXXX

The moment the Peacekeepers shut the door to the room Seraphina was in, Penelope rushed to her daughter, holding her and sobbing into her neck. Seraphina was deathly quiet as she hugged her hysterical mother.

"It'll be okay, Mom," she murmured. "Don't worry." But the front she was putting up was just that: a front. She was truly scared to death. And the fact she was going to have to fight Christopher, her best friend's little brother, was making her physically sick to her stomach.

Penelope finally released Seraphina so the rest of her family could say goodbye, possibly for the last time. The entire time she wept though, holding her younger two children tightly while her husband spoke to her daughter. But she still hadn't spoken; she just kept crying. Seraphina looked to her father next. Derek pulled her into a tight hug. When he moved back, he cupped her chin and placed a kiss on her forehead. "You do whatever it takes to get back to us," he told her firmly. She opened her mouth to say something in confusion, but he cut her off. "I mean it, Phi. Promise me you'll do whatever it takes." Hesitantly, she nodded. Had her father just told her to kill if it meant getting back to them? The look in his eyes told her that yes...he had. "I love you, Phi."

She nodded. "I love you, too," she murmured. Turning to Thaddeus and Ziva, she knelt down, opening her arms for them to run into. "You two behave for Mom and Dad, okay?" she said, kissing their foreheads. She tucked a strand of Ziva's hair behind her ear.

Big, fat tears filled her baby sister's eyes. She bit her lip and nodded. Next to her, Thaddeus said, "Good luck, Phi."

Seraphina was about to say something more, but the doors were thrust open to reveal the two Peacekeepers.

"Time to go," one said gruffly.

Penelope shot forward again and pulled Seraphina into her arms again. Sobs filled the room and Seraphina closed her eyes tightly and held her mother as long as she could. However, a second later one of the Peacekeepers yanked her away roughly, causing her to cry harder. Derek's jaw clenched and he immediately went forward, taking his wife in his arms from the Peacekeepers.

"Don't touch my wife," he growled, almost a challenge. "She's just saying goodbye to our daughter." Seraphina held her breath as the scene unfolded before her. She prayed her father wouldn't be arrested for what he had just said. She knew her parents hated the Capitol, but she didn't want her father hurt if he pissed off a Peacekeeper.

"Time's up," the Peacekeeper returned evenly.

Derek's gaze flicked to Seraphina's and she saw the pure devastation written all over his face. Her eyes went to Penelope's next and she bent her head as Penelope cried harder. "I love you, Mom," she said hoarsely, barely able to say the words without breaking into tears.

And just like that, her family was dragged away from her. Her goodbye had not been long enough. And what scared her the most was that it was probably the last time she would ever see them again.

XXXXX

Christopher was standing mutely in the room the Peacekeepers had led him into. He could hardly believe his name had been called. His name was only in the reaping twice. How could this have possibly happened to him? And the worst part? He had to fight one of his friends, the girl his brother was in love with. Why did it have to be Seraphina? The fact he was only thirteen didn't help either. He began to wring his hands together, nervous as hell to face his family, most of all his brother.

When the doors finally did open and his mother, father, and brother came through, he felt his face pale immediately. The Peacekeepers closed the doors and he was able to run forward to hug them. JJ wrapped her arms around him first, holding him tightly to her chest. "I love you," she murmured. "You know that, right?"

Christopher nodded and bit his lip. "I know," he said. "I love you too, Mom." He looked at Dave next. "I'll fight my hardest, Dad."

Dave put his hand on Christopher's shoulder and nodded. "I know you will, son," he said softly. But even though his son was saying he would put up a fight, he was deathly afraid for him. He was no fighter. He wasn't a warrior. Whether he would make it past the bloodbath that came from jumping off the platforms was...Dave couldn't even think of it. And with Haymitch Abernathy as his son's mentor, there was very little hope for him.

"Xavier," Christopher said, looking towards his older brother. Xavier nodded and went to his side.

"Yeah?" he asked.

"I'm sorry I have to fight Seraphina," he murmured apologetically. It was clear from the look in his eyes that he was truly remorseful, even though none of what was happening was his fault. "I swear I won't hurt her!"

Xavier put his hands on his shoulder, a desperate look in his eyes. "Chris, you have _nothing_ to be sorry about," he said. "This is there their fault."

"You're not mad about me fighting Phi?" Christopher asked.

His older brother shook his head. "Not at all," he murmured. He glanced at the door and added, "I have to go find Phi. I'm going to ask her to watch out for you."

"I can't hurt her!" Christopher yelped. "I could never hurt anyone!"

"Then you find a place to hide and you stay there and wait it out," he said. "Take the advice of the trainers and make sure you stay alive." He put his hands on his younger brother's shoulders. "Stay alive, Chris."

All his brother could do was nod dumbly and go to his parents to say his goodbyes.

XXXXX

"Can I go say my goodbyes to Seraphina?" Xavier asked the Peacekeeper nervously outside the room where Phi was until she was set to leave.

He received a nod and the door was opened. Entering the room, he saw Seraphina at the window, her arms crossed over her chest. She turned around covered her mouth unconsciously. Tears filled her eyes. "Xavier!" She ran towards him and threw her arms around his neck. He hugged her tightly and closed his eyes, savoring the feel of her in his arms. "I'll try to keep him safe. I swear I will. I'll sacrifice myself before I let him die."

"Phi..." He paused and murmured, "I...I..." Then he cupped her cheeks and his lips descended on hers. He kissed her warmly and let his tongue slide into her soft mouth. At first, she was so shocked she couldn't stop, but then she responded to the kiss. He pulled back and rested his forehead against hers.

"Xavier," she said softly. "Why didn't you ever tell me?"

He shook his head. "It's just in case," he said, averting his eyes.

He didn't have to say just in case of what. She knew exactly what he meant.

"I love you," he admitted. "I always have."

She smiled slightly. "Will you please look after my siblings? I know I have no right to ask it, but -"

"Of course I'll take care of them," he murmured. "Your mother too. And I'll help your father and -"

Putting a finger to her lips, she shook her head. "Just keep an eye on them. Hunting isn't really your strong suit," she said with a soft smile. As she was about to say more, the doors burst open again and the Peacekeepers entered. "Time to go," the one who had yanked her mother away from her grunted.

With one last look at Xavier, she whispered, "Goodbye, Xavier."

XXXXX

After being dragged away from her daughter, Penelope was ushered into a room by Mayor Hotchner where she was allowed to mourn the taking of her daughter. She sat down in one of the chairs and wept into her hands. The moment Seraphina's face had disappeared from her view, she knew she was going to be on edge until she knew her fate. Derek entered the room and sat down, putting his arms around her and holding her. "She's promised she would fight her hardest," he said. "And I think she might be able to win. She's the strongest girl I know."

"But she doesn't know how to fight against human beings," Penelope wept. "Think about the Careers! They are trained to be killers. They're brutal. Seraphina would never be able to kill anyone."

He shook his head. "It's going to be tough. But I have faith in her. So much faith that I think she might win."

"You really think she could kill Christopher?" she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "She's known him since birth."

"I know it sounds heartless, and if there were able to be more than one winner I would want Christopher to be the one next to her, but the only one I want back is Seraphina," he said. "She's the only one I care about."

The door opened before Penelope could respond and Mayor Hotchner entered the room. "I'm very sorry," he murmured. "I know I don't know you very well, but I've heard about your daughter. She's beloved by many in the District."

Derek nodded. "Thank you," he said. "We appreciate it. Are our children right outside?"

The mayor nodded. "Yes, they are," he said. "They're waiting for you."

Derek rose to his feet and held out his hand for his wife. They started for the door. When they exited, Thaddeus and Ziva ran into her arms. She held them tightly, never wanting to let them go. Kissing the tops of their heads, she said, "Let's go home."

As they started to walk towards the doors to exit the building, they bumped into three people: the Rossi family. Both families stopped short and stared at each other momentarily. JJ and Penelope looked at each other, their eyes boring into the others. Where once was a friendly gaze was now a coldness. Abruptly JJ turned on her heel and stalked out of the building. Dave immediately followed after her, not looking back at all. Only Xavier remained behind. He looked at the Morgans and said, "I'm sorry." He paused. "Phi - Phi asked me to watch out for you. If you need anything, tell me. I'll do whatever I can."

Derek nodded. "Thank you, Xavier," he said. But his expression was solemn. Looking at Xavier blankly, he put his arms around his family and began to lead them home.


	4. Haymitch's Initial Assessment

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

**Here is chapter 4! PLEASE REVIEW IF YOU HAVE A MOMENT :)**

Haymitch sat with his tumbler of whiskey and stared out the window of the train, waiting silently for his new tributes to arrive with Effie. Like every year, these ones were likely to be weak and fragile, just like the others. They weren't likely to be fighters; they weren't likely to live through the Games.

It was nothing new.

The car pulled up to the train and Effie stepped out, followed by the two tributes.

The boy was a young one of about thirteen, with dark brown, almost black hair and steel gray eyes. He was dressed remarkably well for a boy of District Twelve, likely making him a merchant's son. He was somewhat scrawny; definitely not winner material.

The female tribute however appeared to be a thin, but strong looking girl of sixteen or seventeen. She had dark mahogany wavy hair and light brown skin. Her eyes were hard and her mouth was set in a firm line. This one clearly seemed different.

She puzzled Haymitch. But then it occurred to him. This girl was Seraphina Morgan. He didn't know a lot about her, but her name had been mentioned around the District before. She was the daughter of infamous mine worker and known Capitol hater, Derek Morgan. Granted, Haymitch didn't know him personally, but he'd heard rumors when he'd been out to buy alcohol.

She may be a different story.

The three boarded the train and he sat down in one of the luxurious seats, leaning back and putting his feet lazily on the table. It was almost time to meet his new charges. Time to assess them as people. Time to assess them as fighters and see if they had any chance of survival.

Effie's shoes soon started clicking down the wood floors and she arrived through the doors with the boy and the Morgan girl following behind her. The boy looked around in awe, while the girl looked around suspiciously.

"Haymitch!" Effie chirped, clapping her hands together. "Say hello to our District Twelve tributes! This young man is Christopher Rossi, and this young lady is Seraphina Morgan. Say hello, dears!"

Christopher looked at him nervously. "Hello," he said.

Seraphina merely nodded to him.

Haymitch raised his glass to them. "So these are my two _tributes_," he slurred, setting his glass down. He missed the table and the glass fell to the floor, cracking in the process. "Whoops."

"Nice to meet you, too," the Morgan girl said, cocking an eyebrow at her. She crossed her arms over her chest and fixed him with a probing stare.

"Well, it appears we've got some attitude with you, sweetheart," he snickered. He rose unsteadily to his feet and went to refill a new glass. "And what about you...Rossi, is your name?"

The boy nodded nervously and looked at him in fright. "Y - yes," he stuttered.

This one was definitely not fighter material. It wouldn't surprise him if the young man died in the bloodbath outside the Cornucopia. He had yet to get a reading on the girl. She hadn't done much but look around, observing her surroundings. There was a possibility of her going either way.

Time would tell.

Taking a long swig of his drink, Haymitch set the glass down and nodded. "I'm going to take a _nap_. Wake me up when dinner's ready."

XXXXX

JJ hadn't stopped crying since she, David, and Xavier had returned home. She secluded herself to her and David's bedroom and curled up on top of the blankets. Her husband was sitting on the edge of the bed, a cup of tea in his hands. He set it on the night table and started to rub her back. "Jennifer, it - it..." He couldn't actually say it would be okay. He honestly didn't think there was much hope for their son.

But he couldn't say that to JJ. She would only break into hysterics. And he would likely go into a world of silence, unable to speak from fear.

"Get some sleep, sweetheart," he murmured, leaning down to kiss her head. "Drink the tea and maybe it'll help you get there." She just turned her head into her pillow and sobbed. He sighed and rose from the bed. He left the room and returned to the kitchen where he found his eldest son sitting at the table, his head in his hands. Xavier raised his head up and looked at David. His face was set in a hard line. David sat down at the table with him and folded his hands on the table in front of him.

Xavier's eyes were full of grief. "How is Mom?" he asked.

"Devastated," David responded. "And she should be. We all are. Because let's face it..."

Xavier nodded. "Christopher...he won't make it..."

"It would take a miracle," David said, his voice hoarse. He fixed his son with a hard look then. "I know you told Seraphina you would look after her family, but I want you to know that your mother needs you more than Penelope, Derek, and their other children."

His jaw tightened, but Xavier nodded. "Mom takes priority," he said. "You and her and Chris are the most important people in the world to me. No one means more to me than you."

Somehow David thought he almost heard his son silently add, _And Seraphina._

"You don't believe me, do you?" Xavier said tensely.

"Of course I believe you," David said hesitantly. "I just know you, Xavier. And I know that because you made a promise to the girl you love, you're going to try everything in your power to keep it."

His son was silent. "Dad, I swear to you, if I had to choose who I want to live, I would choose Chris," he said firmly, though David could see the conflict in his eyes. It was clear this was the most painful choice of his life. "Just...just let me help the Morgans. Please." He'd gone to begging now. "Without Phi, they'll not get as much food as they usually do. Her father can only hunt on Sundays because of working in the mines."

David's jaw hardened. "We can't give them money for food," he said. "They're four of them. We need to feed ourselves first." He sighed. "Besides, the likelihood of Seraphina winning..." He didn't finish. Xavier knew exactly what he was going to say. Seraphina actually had a shot at winning. But David wouldn't say it; it was too difficult.

"Dad, I love her," he said. "And after everything the Morgans have done for us! Do you remember when Mom was sick and -"

Dave slammed his fist down on the table and glared at his son. "Enough!" he said. "Stay away from the Morgans!"

"Dad, we can't turn on them!"

"We can, and we will!" David said angrily, rising from his seat. "I don't want you going to see the Morgans. As far as I'm concerned, we're not their friends anymore." He then turned on his heel and strode forcefully out the door, leaving his son crestfallen behind him.

XXXXX

"H - how could th -this happen?" Penelope wept into Derek's chest. "They took our daughter from us!"

Derek held her tightly and kissed the top of her head. He wasn't letting it show, but his eyes were burning with unshed tears. His grief was unquestionable. His eldest daughter was on her way to an arena where she would fight for her life against twenty three other people. And not only were there twenty three other people, but some of them would be trained to be brutal killers. The Careers were trained for this exact moment and they weren't going to let up. Though she had training with weapons, Seraphina would have a hard time killing another human being. She had too good of a heart for that.

"Penelope, sweetheart, I know it hurts, but we've just got to believe that Phi will make it back to us," he whispered. "I know the Capitol is evil, but there's nothing we can do. We can just hope that she wins."

Penelope looked at him and her lower lip trembled. "Derek, if we lose her, I don't know what I'll do," she cried. "We depend on her so much, she takes care of our family." Fat tears fell from her eyes and trickled down her cheeks. "She just a girl," she added in a whisper. "I can't lose her. If it were up to me, I would make them take _me _instead."

He cupped her cheek. "This is going to be the worst period of our lives," he said, "but we have to believe that she'll come back. She promised she would fight to get back to us. And Phi keeps her promises."

She opened her mouth to say more, but a knock sounded from the door and Thaddeus and Ziva poked their heads in. Ziva's face was streaked with tears and Thaddeus was staring at them with blank eyes. They both entered the room and stood before their parents.

"Mom?" Ziva asked tearfully, sniffling slightly and wiping some of her tears with her sleeve.

Penelope took both her hands and kissed her forehead. "Yeah, Ziv?" she murmured.

"Is Phi going to come back?" she whispered. "I know she can use a bow and she can hunt, but -"

Derek put a finger to her lips. "Ziva, slow down," he said. "Right now we just need to think positive and hope she gets through this alive."

"What about Xavier?" Thaddeus asked softly. "He said he would help us, but do you think he's mad at us?"

Penelope's face hardened and Derek looked down at the floor. "We're going to forget about the Rossis for the time being," he said, his gaze still trained on the ground. "I don't care what Phi asked Xavier to do...as far as I'm concerned, they're our enemies now."

Ziva's eyes filled with tears again and Penelope motioned for her and Thaddeus to come into her arms. Closing her eyes, she held them tightly and was silent. Derek then put his arms around all of them and they sat in the silence of their cold home, none of them moving for fear it would cause a cataclysmic reaction and shake their world even worse than it already was.


	5. A Restless Sleep

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

**Here's Chapter 5...thanks for the reviews and I hope you like this one!**

Seraphina sat in the main car of the train and stared out the window of the car as the scenery whizzed by. This was the most lavish room she had ever been in, and it was merely a room on a train. She couldn't stop thinking about the tears in her mother's eyes as she was dragged away by the Peacekeepers or the looks of terror in her younger siblings' eyes or the desperate plea her father had made to her to stay alive, no matter what the cost.

But most of all she was thinking about the confession Xavier had made to her. She'd never once guessed he would be in love with her. They were best friends - they had been for years - but for some reason she'd never gotten the vibe from him that he felt that way about her. In some ways she thought she might love him too, but she had never thought about it before this moment. She was left with so many conflicted feelings about it. But at that moment, she couldn't afford to be thinking about Xavier. There was too much going on that required more of her attention.

And to top all of the earlier events was the fact that she was going to a fight to the death that would likely result in her being sent back to District Twelve in a pine coffin. She didn't know if she would be able to kill Christopher. It was highly unlikely she would be the one to kill him because it was likely someone else would get to him first, but even so, if the moment came to it and she was the one who was faced with the task, she didn't think she would be able to.

Effie came over, towing Christopher along behind her. She clapped her hands together and grinned widely. Seraphina couldn't help but stare at all the extravagant decorations Effie had done herself up with. The Capitol had always been known for its strange fashions and seeing them from afar was always an experience. But up close it was a shock. The colors were almost blinding and she was half tempted to squint.

"Well, I suggest that the two of you get some rest, and you could maybe have a nice hot shower before dinner is served," she said, crossing her legs and placing her hands on her knees. "Your rooms are through that door. You will be notified when dinner is being served." She smiled brightly, waving her hand in the direction of the door that would lead them down to their rooms.

Seraphina nodded mutely and rose to her feet. Christopher did the same thing, jumping up as soon as she did. He was very clearly looking to her for what to do. Understanding that he needed guidance, she put her hand on his shoulder and motioned for him to follow her. "Let's go," she said softly. Figuring she should at least be polite to Effie, she added, "We'll see you at dinner, Effie." After all, it wasn't _her_ fault she and Christopher were going to their deaths. She was just part of the way they were getting there.

The two started for the door and once they were alone in the hallway, Seraphina turned to him and said, "Chris, listen...I promised Xavier I would keep you safe. And I will do everything I can. Really, I will."

"You know, this is probably really hard for him," he said softly, his voice almost inaudible. He looked away from her momentarily and added, "He loves you, you know? And then there's me, his brother." Tears filled his eyes and Seraphina looked at him sympathetically. She opened her mouth to say something, but he started away from her. "I'm going to go sleep like Effie told us. I'll see you at dinner."

And then he took off, entering his designated room and closing the door behind him.

Seraphina sighed and rubbed her eyes. She needed sleep. It would clear her head. Opening the door to her room, she entered and stared in awe at the extravagance of it. She started exploring the room. The shower was state of the art, the clothing in the drawers was perfectly created, the sheets on the bed were soft and comfortable. She sat on the bed and ran her hands over the material, relishing the feel of it.

She glanced out the window at the land they were passing by and suddenly exhaustion started to weigh down on her. Curling up into a fetal position, she closed her eyes and drifted into a restless slumber.

XXXXX

Christopher sat gingerly on the edge of the luxurious bed and stared at the wall. He'd never been more scared in his life. Right now he was on a train, headed towards the Capitol, heading towards his death. He knew Seraphina had likely spoken true about her promise to his brother, but that didn't change the fact that he was likely going to end up dead. The Careers, the tributes from Districts One, Two, and Four, were brutal and would certainly kill him in the bloodbath at the Cornucopia.

There was no point in thinking he had a chance.

He thought about his mother, his father, and Xavier and the goodbye that hadn't lasted long enough for him. He would miss his family. All he wanted was to see them once more. But that was impossible.

Reaping day was the last day he would ever see them.

His eyes filled with tears, despite the fact that he didn't want to. It made him feel weak. He couldn't help it, though. He was only thirteen years old. There were some things he just couldn't control. The tears started rolling down his cheeks and he wiped them away hurriedly, thankful no one was there to see the pathetic scene he was unfolding.

Effie Trinket had told him and Phi to get some rest before dinner, but he doubted he would get any sleep. Not with the fear looming over him. The thought of the Games getting closer and closer with every passing second was scaring him. It was the knowledge of his death coming that was causing him the most fright.

Leaning back, he stared up at the ceiling of the room and forced himself to think of something other than what was coming.

He thought of his mother and father and spending time with them in their kitchen. He thought of his mother's bright smile and the twinkle in his father's eyes. The memory of when the sky was blue and there was a light breeze in the air filled his head.

Closing his eyes, he allowed himself to fall into a fitful sleep.

He awoke several hours later when he heard a loud rapping on his door. Effie's chirpy voice rang out. "Up, up, up! Dinner time is now!"

Rubbing his eyes, he let out a muffled, "Coming." He rose from his bed and rubbed his eyes once more. He felt like he'd slept only five minutes, but in reality it had been several hours. His sleep had merely been fitful, nothing more than a poor excuse for slumber. Opening the door, he stepped out into the hall and made his way towards the main car. Heavenly smells filled his nose as he entered and he saw before him on the table more food than he'd ever seen in his life. His mouth began to water at the sight of it all.

Already at the table were Effie and Haymitch. Haymitch, of course, was already downing a glass of liquor, while Effie was merely sipping her wine, eyeing Haymitch distastefully. There was no sign of Seraphina yet.

Christopher timidly approached the table and sat down across from Haymitch, keeping his eyes trained down. He was somewhat fearful of his mentor's gaze.

Where was Seraphina to make the silence slightly more bearable?

"Well, aren't you going to eat, Christopher?" Effie asked, nodding towards the food. "The food is quite delicious. You've never tasted anything so good in District Twelve, I can assure you!" She smiled broadly. Then she looked to the door. "Where on Earth is Seraphina?"

"Right here," Seraphina said, entering the car. She had changed from her dress and into a pair of loose pants and shirt. "I'm sorry I'm late." She sat down in the seat next to Haymitch. Christopher admired her bravery; he didn't think he would ever be able to sit next to the man. Something he noticed, though, was that she lacked her usual spark. Seraphina was known in the Seam for being one of the cheeriest girls anyone had ever met, a smile always on her face to anyone she passed. But not right now. Right now she was withdrawn, quiet. So unlike herself.

Both she and Christopher began filling their plates with food. Christopher noticed that Haymitch was downing his drinks at a rapid pace. He wondered how the evening would progress.

For a few moments Effie prattled on about what they would be experiencing when they reached the Capitol, but as soon as she paused, Seraphina took the opportunity to speak up. "I have a question for you, Haymitch," she said, sticking a piece of meat in her mouth.

He looked at her with glazed over eyes and snickered. "Oh?" he asked. "And what question do you have, Sera - Sera -" He seemed to struggle with saying her name through his drunkenness.

"Seraphina," she snapped. "Is it that hard to say?"

Christopher was taken back at his friend's harshness. Never had he seen her like this, angry and annoyed. Apparently the Games were having a more serious effect on her than anyone could have anticipated.

Even though he was tipsy, Haymitch seemed to be impressed with Seraphina's response. He smirked. "You have spirit," he commented, raising his glass to her. "Is there anything else about you I should know? You're pretty, so you're bound to get noticed, but the real question is: do you have any skills?"

She stared at him hardly, and Christopher held his breath, wondering where this was going. Was she going to tell him anything about what she could do? "Not anything important," she said, eyeing Effie carefully. Immediately, Christopher understood. Effie was part of the Capitol; saying she had skills with weapons such as a bow could go very poorly.

Haymitch cocked an eyebrow at her, clearly not believing her. But he didn't say anything. He merely nodded. "Well, then," he said. "We'll just have to see what we can do with you."

Somehow Christopher wasn't surprised that Haymitch wasn't acknowledging him. It was clear he knew he wasn't a fighter, it was clear he knew he didn't have the same spirit he saw in Seraphina.

Essentially what Haymitch was saying by ignoring him, was that he was the weakest link.

He had no chance.


End file.
